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Competition for the Management and Operation of the National Center for
Atmospheric Research
Program Solicitation
NSF 07-542
[NSF Logo] National Science Foundation
Directorate for Geosciences
Division of Atmospheric Sciences
Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required):
April 13, 2007
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
August 31, 2007
By Invitation Only
REVISION NOTES
In furtherance of the President's Management Agenda, NSF has identified
programs that will offer proposers the option to utilize Grants.gov to
prepare and submit proposals, or will require that proposers utilize
Grants.gov to prepare and submit proposals. Grants.gov provides a single
Government-wide portal for finding and applying for Federal grants online.
In response to this program solicitation, proposers may opt to submit
proposals via Grants.gov or via the NSF FastLane system.
Due to the complexity of the proposals being submitted, however, use of
FastLane to prepare and submit proposals is strongly encouraged.
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
General Information
Program Title:
Competition for the Management and Operation of the National
Center for Atmospheric Research
Synopsis of Program:
The National Science Foundation is soliciting proposals for the
management and operation of the National Center for Atmospheric
Research (NCAR). NCAR, an NSF Federally Funded Research and
Development Center (FFRDC), is a center of excellence supporting
the atmospheric and broader sciences community. NCAR operates
world-class observational facilities and computing
infrastructure, conducts an extensive in-house research program
and a vigorous program of education, training and outreach, and
maintains extensive national and international collaborations.
NCAR also carries out research and development on behalf of other
organizations, most commonly other US government agencies. This
work, which can only be undertaken if it is consistent with the
NCAR mission, currently accounts for approximately 30% of NCAR's
total funding.
The awardee will work closely with NSF and the university
community to ensure that NCAR continues to support, sustain and
advance the atmospheric and related sciences. The awardee will
manage and develop the NCAR staff, buildings and facilities, and
will promote an ambitious, coherent and inclusive program of
research and education.
A single award will be made, as a cooperative agreement with a
duration of five years from 1 October 2008. Further five-year
terms may be awarded, subject to the awardee's satisfactory
performance and where compliant with the National Science Board
Policy on competition (NSB 97-224).
Informational Site Visit
NSF intends to conduct a site visit to NCAR in Boulder, Colorado
for representatives of potential proposing organizations. The
visit is expected to take place in early 2007, prior to the
submission of preliminary proposals, and will be guided and
managed by NSF staff. This will be an opportunity for potential
proposers to view the Centerís buildings and facilities and to
acquire information relevant to the development of a proposal.
Attendees will be responsible for their own expenses. Any
organization that is interested in submitting a proposal and
wishes to have representatives attend the site visit should
contact Kristin Spencer in writing by February 9th 2007.
Point of Contact:
* Kristin Spencer, Contract and Agreements Specialist, telephone: (703)
292-4585, fax: (703) 292-9140, email: kspencer@nsf.gov
Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):
* 47.050 --- Geosciences
Award Information
Anticipated Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement
Estimated Number of Awards: 1
Anticipated Funding Amount: $563,000,000 The funding provided under
this cooperative agreement will comprise direct funding from NSF (the NCAR
Ďbase budgetí), additional NSF support for specific science programs,
facilities and services, and funds provided by other US government agencies
via interagency transfers through NSF. In FY 2006, the income from each of
these sources was:
NSF base budget: $81.8 million
Additional NSF funding for specific science programs, facilities and
services: $11.6 million
Non-NSF funding via interagency transfers: $12.3 million*
Total: $105.7 million.
The amount available under the next cooperative agreement will depend upon
the annual budgets of NSF and other program sponsors, and the performance
of the awardee and NCAR, but it may be assumed for the purposes of writing
a proposal that the maximum funding available will be $106 million in FY
2009 and will increase by 3% each year. Under this scenario the maximum
total funding provided under this cooperative agreement would be $563
million over five years.
In addition to the funding provided under the cooperative agreement, NCAR
receives research grants from the NSF Division of Atmospheric Sciences and
other NSF programs for individual merit-reviewed activities. The total such
funding was $4.3 million in FY 2006. Funding is also provided directly to
NCAR (via the managing organization) by other program sponsors, including
other government agencies. In FY 2006, the total direct funding was $43.7
million*.
*amounts include fees received by the managing organization
Eligibility Information
Organization Limit:
* Proposals may only be submitted by U.S. universities or
consortia of universities, other U.S. not-for-profit or
nonprofit organizations, and any U.S. industrial firm
operating as an autonomous organization or as an
identifiable separate operating unit of a parent
organization.
NCAR operations must be conducted in the public interest
with objectivity and independence, free from organizational
conflicts of interest, and with full disclosure of its
affairs to NSF. NSF will have overall responsibility for
award oversight, including technical, programmatic, and
financial and administrative performance. For federal policy
considerations, please see FAR 35.017, ďFederally Funded
Research and Development CentersĒ at
http://www.arnet.gov/far/
PI Limit:
None Specified
Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 1
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI: 1
Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
* Letters of Intent: Not Applicable
* Preliminary Proposals: Submission of Preliminary Proposals is
required. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further
information.
* Full Proposals:
* Full Proposals submitted via FastLane: Grant Proposal Guide (GPG)
Guidelines apply. The complete text of the GPG is available
electronically on the NSF website at:
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg.
* Full Proposals submitted via Grants.gov: NSF Grants.gov
Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of
NSF Applications via Grants.gov Guidelines apply (Note: The NSF
Grants.gov Application Guide is available on the Grants.gov
website and on the NSF website at:
http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/docs/grantsgovguide.pdf/)
B. Budgetary Information
* Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost Sharing is not required by NSF.
* Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Not Applicable
* Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please
see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
C. Due Dates
* Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required):
April 13, 2007
* Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
August 31, 2007
By Invitation Only
Proposal Review Information Criteria
Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria.
Additional merit review considerations apply. Please see the full text of
this solicitation for further information.
Award Administration Information
Award Conditions: Additional award conditions apply. Please see the full
text of this solicitation for further information.
Reporting Requirements: Additional reporting requirements apply. Please
see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Summary of Program Requirements
I. Introduction
II. Program Description
III. Award Information
IV. Eligibility Information
V. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
B. Budgetary Information
C. Due Dates
D. FastLane/Grants.gov Requirements
VI. NSF Proposal Processing and Review Procedures
A. NSF Merit Review Criteria
B. Review and Selection Process
VII. Award Administration Information
A. Notification of the Award
B. Award Conditions
C. Reporting Requirements
VIII.Agency Contacts
IX. Other Information
I. INTRODUCTION
NSF established the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in 1960
in Boulder, Colorado, as a center of excellence providing research,
facilities and services in support of the atmospheric and broader
geosciences community. As an NSF Federally Funded Research and Development
Center (FFRDC), NCAR upholds and advances the mission, values and goals set
out in the NSF Strategic Plan
(http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2006/nsf0648/nsf0648.jsp).
NCAR is currently managed through a cooperative agreement by the University
Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). The present cooperative
agreement was effective on 1 October 2003 and expires on 30 September 2008.
In accordance with the National Science Board Policy on competition (NSB
97-224), this solicitation invites proposals for the management and
operation of NCAR for the five-year period from 1 October 2008 Ė 30
September 2013. Further five-year terms may be awarded, subject to
satisfactory performance and where compliant with NSB policy.
During this award period, the awardee will be required to ensure that NCAR
continues to serve as a unique and world-leading institution that supports,
sustains and advances the atmospheric and related science community through
the provision of state-of-the-art facilities and by conducting fundamental
and transformative research at the frontiers of current knowledge. The
managing organization will be responsible for operating and maintaining the
NCAR buildings and facilities, developing and incorporating new facilities,
planning for future new initiatives, supporting a skilled and diverse work
force and sustaining an innovative and vigorous program of basic and
applied research in support of the atmospheric and related sciences. NSF
expects that the managing organization will promote a culture of excellence
in serving the scientific community.
II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
A. Mission and goals of the National Center for Atmospheric Research
Mission
The NCAR mission is:
* To understand the behavior of the atmosphere and related
physical, biological and social systems;
* To support, enhance and extend the capabilities of the
university community and the broader scientific community,
nationally and internationally;
* To foster the transfer of knowledge and technology for the
betterment of life on Earth.
To fulfill this mission, NCAR, working in close collaboration
with the university and broader scientific community, is required
to:
1. Build, operate and maintain shared observational facilities,
computational infrastructure and databases, and make them
accessible to the community;
2. Serve as stewards of high quality scientific data on behalf
of the community, through maintenance, enhancement and
curation;
3. Enhance the ability of the community to collectively
explore, develop and extend its ideas;
4. Facilitate the definition, construction and use of
numerical models, in particular where these support
community-wide collaborations;
5. Enable the education and development of diverse human
capital for the atmospheric and related sciences, in
particular, those groups which are underrepresented in the
US science and engineering workforce;
6. Attract, support and advance a high quality, diverse
scientific and technical staff and provide them with
continued training and career advancement as befits a
national center and to enhance the community;
7. Foster interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research that
will advance the frontiers of knowledge;
8. Address challenging scientific problems that require long
term focus and integration across global, regional and local
scales;
9. Apply scientific understanding to recognized and emerging
problems of interest to society;
10. Integrate research and education in an increasingly multi-
and interdisciplinary arena;
11. Transfer developed technology to the U.S. Government and the
private sector as appropriate;
12. Operate with integrity and transparency, maintaining quality
and relevance in administration and management.
Strategic Goals
The NCAR strategic plan, NCAR as an Integrator, Innovator and
Community Builder
(http://www.ncar.ucar.edu/stratplan/2006/stratplan06.pdf), was
published in January 2006 following extensive consultation with
the scientific community. The plan identifies five strategic
goals:
1. Improve understanding of the atmosphere, the Earth system,
and the Sun;
2. Increase societal resilience to weather, climate, and other
atmospheric hazards;
3. Cultivate a scientifically-literate and engaged citizenry
and a diverse and creative workforce;
4. Provide robust, accessible, and innovative information
services and tools;
5. Provide world-class ground, airborne, and space-borne
observational facilities and services.
These goals, and the linked priorities and key activities, will
serve as a starting point in guiding the infrastructure, services
and research support provided by the Center through 2008 and
beyond.
B. Description of NCAR
NCARís principal offices and laboratory facilities are located in
Boulder, Colorado. Some are owned by NSF, while the remainder are
owned or leased by UCAR. The principal NSF-owned facilities are:
* the Mesa Laboratory and Fleishman Building, which occupy a
450-acre site in Boulder;
* a hanger at Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield,
Colorado;
* a 60-acre field site in Marshall, Colorado, which has
limited infrastructure and houses some experimental
facilities and storage;
* a high altitude observatory at Mauna Loa, Hawaii.
UCAR currently provides additional office and laboratory space at
the Foothills and Center Green campuses in Boulder.
The NCAR staff is approximately 820 FTE and includes scientists,
engineers, visiting researchers and students, and administrative
staff. Approximately 65% of the total FTE is engaged in
NSF-funded work, with the remainder in programs supported by
other sponsors.
The NCAR website, http://www.ncar.ucar.edu, provides details of
the NCAR facilities and programs. The NCAR annual report
(http://www.nar.ucar.edu/2006/) outlines the NCAR science and
facilities plan for 2006/7, and presents highlights and
achievements from 2005/6.
Facilities and Services
NCAR maintains and operates a range of NSF-owned observing
facilities that support the university and broader research
community. These include a Gulfstream V jet aircraft for high
altitude and/or extended range science missions, a C-130
turboprop, specialized Doppler weather radars, lidar systems and
atmospheric measuring systems that can operate in conventional
settings, remote field locations, or, in some cases, on board
aircraft. The Eldora Doppler Radar is currently attached to the
Naval Research Laboratoryís (NRL) P-3 aircraft and deployed
on research campaigns undertaken by scientists from NCAR and
universities, NRL and other federal agencies.
NCAR also maintains community numerical models that address a
variety of scientific purposes and are developed in collaboration
with the university community. These models and other
computationally-intensive activities are underpinned by
supercomputers, data-storage archives, and computer support
services available to NSF grantees and others in the research
community.
Research Program
The NCAR research program is carried out in close partnership
with the university community. It seeks to encompass the
atmosphere as one interconnected system, and includes:
* climate ó over timescales ranging from decades to
millennia, from prehistoric times to the present, and future
projections;
* weather ó cloud physics, storm structure, and other keys to
improved weather forecasting;
* atmospheric chemistry ó such as studies of air quality and
the relationship between atmospheric composition and
climate;
* weather hazards to transportation ó including detection and
warning systems for turbulence and icing in the air and on
the ground;
* the sun-Earth system ó including space weather;
* computer science innovation ó for modeling, data analysis
and visualization;
* human and societal impacts ó the relationship between the
human and climate/weather systems.
Education and Diversity
NCAR plays a strong role in supporting the NSF mission to promote
and develop a diverse and skilled scientific workforce, both
through its own personnel policies and through specific programs
designed to increase the participation of underrepresented
minorities and women in the broader scientific community. NCAR
operates a vigorous program of education, outreach and community
development activities that includes collaborative partnerships
with minority-serving institutions, networks for early-career
faculty and resources for educators.
C. Description of Awardee Responsibilities
Core Expectations
The awardee will be responsible for the overall performance of
NCAR and for ensuring that, within the resources available, NCAR
fulfills all aspects of its mission with a visionary and
productive scientific program of world-class services,
infrastructure and research in support of the US atmospheric and
broader science community. The NCAR program should embody the NSF
strategic vision: advancing discovery, innovation and education
beyond the frontiers of current knowledge, and empowering future
generations in science and engineering.
The awardee will plan, execute, staff and manage the NCAR
program, provide and maintain advanced facilities and services,
sustain an expert, diverse work force and oversee the conduct of
basic and applied research in support of the atmospheric and
related sciences. The awardee will work closely with NSF and the
atmospheric and broader science community to ensure that the
activities carried out at the Center strongly reflect their needs
and priorities.
The awardee will be responsible for activities funded by both NSF
and NCAR's other program sponsors. Non-NSF programs managed by
the awardee must be consistent with the NCAR mission and
complement and enhance activities funded and approved by NSF.
NSF intends that NCAR should serve as an exemplar of management
excellence. The awardee will be expected to meet the highest
standards for service and delivery to the scientific community
and to demonstrate a proactive and effective approach to
performance management.
Specific Duties
The awardee will:
* develop and employ effective mechanisms for engaging the
Centerís primary stakeholders at all levels in order to
ensure that NCARís facilities, services and programs best
reflect their evolving needs and priorities;
* operate and maintain the NCAR buildings and facilities and
manage the NCAR staff and all activities carried out at the
Center according to current best-practice and in full
compliance with all relevant laws and regulations;
* provide upgrades, enhancements and new services as required,
and within available resources, to ensure community access
to state-of-the art facilities and support;
* recruit and develop an outstanding scientific, engineering
and administrative staff;
* develop and execute an innovative and ambitious science
program at NCAR that reflects the missions, values and goals
articulated in the NSF Strategic Plan and demonstrably
complements the research carried out in the broader
atmospheric and related science community, in particular the
US universities;
* implement strategic partnerships with US universities,
federal, non-federal and international entities that will
enhance the scientific capabilities and support available to
the entire atmospheric and related science community;
* actively support the NSF strategic goal of cultivating a
world-class, broadly inclusive science and engineering
workforce and expanding the scientific literacy of all
citizens,
* manage complementary programs supported by sponsors other
than NSF;
* develop and use an appropriate, comprehensive suite of
metrics to underpin an effective performance management
regime for the Center and to monitor and improve the
awardeeís interactions with NCARís primary stakeholders.
III. AWARD INFORMATION
One award will be made for the management and operation of NCAR. The award
will be a cooperative agreement with a duration of five years from 1
October 2008. Further five-year awards may be made, subject to the
awardee's satisfactory performance and where compliant with the National
Science Board Policy on competition (NSB 97-224).
If a new awardee is selected to replace the incumbent, NSF will
additionally fund appropriate transition costs through a Cooperative
Support Agreement with the new awardee for a phase-in period of four months
from 1 June - 30 September 2008.
The amount available under the next cooperative agreement will depend upon
the annual budgets of NSF and other program sponsors and the performance of
the awardee and NCAR.
IV. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
Organization Limit:
* Proposals may only be submitted by U.S. universities or
consortia of universities, other U.S. not-for-profit or
nonprofit organizations, and any U.S. industrial firm
operating as an autonomous organization or as an
identifiable separate operating unit of a parent
organization.
NCAR operations must be conducted in the public interest
with objectivity and independence, free from organizational
conflicts of interest, and with full disclosure of its
affairs to NSF. NSF will have overall responsibility for
award oversight, including technical, programmatic, and
financial and administrative performance. For federal policy
considerations, please see FAR 35.017, ďFederally Funded
Research and Development CentersĒ at
http://www.arnet.gov/far/
PI Limit:
None Specified
Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 1
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI: 1
Additional Eligibility Info:
In proposals involving multiple organizations, a single
organization must submit the proposal as the lead organization,
and accept overall management responsibility.
V. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
Preliminary Proposals (required):
The preliminary proposal should describe the organization's five-year
vision and concept for managing and operating NCAR within the context of
the NSF strategic plan and the Center's role within the scientific
community, as detailed in the Program Description (above).
Submission Instructions for the Preliminary Proposal
The Preliminary Proposal must be submitted via FastLane and shall conform
to the guidelines specified in the NSF Proposal Guide (GPG), as detailed
below. The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF
website at http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg.
The following information is required for the Preliminary Proposal:
PI/Co-I Information - This should follow the standard GPG guidelines.
Cover Sheet - A cover sheet must be submitted and electronically signed by
an Authorized Organizational Representative for all preliminary proposals.
The "preliminary proposal" check box must be selected. No budgetary
information will be required at the preliminary proposal stage.
Project Summary - This should provide a summary of the key points of the
proposal and should be understandable to a scientifically or technically
literate lay reader. This should follow the standard GPG guidelines.
Biographical Sketches - Resumes should be provided for each named Director,
Co-Director and senior participant (limit of 2 pages per person). The GPG
guidelines on order and format do not apply for this section of the
proposal.
Project Description - This is limited to 30 pages and should contain two
sections: Section 1: Concept and Vision for NCAR (maximum 25 pages) and
Section 2: Evidence of Capability (maximum 5 pages).
Section 1: Concept and Vision for NCAR should include, but need not be
limited to, the following information:
* An overarching vision for NCAR as a community-serving federal research
laboratory;
* How the managing organization would ensure that NCAR serves the
atmospheric and broader sciences community, providing community
leadership by identifying emerging needs and opportunities,
encouraging the active involvement of the community in planning and
executing a vigorous and innovative research program, and being
demonstrably responsive to guidance provided by the community;
* The means by which the managing organization would support NSF's
strategic aim of cultivating a world-class, broadly inclusive science
and engineering workforce;
* The strategy that would be employed to develop and maintain NCARís
position as a world-leader in the provision of scientific services,
facilities, fundamental research and expertise;
* The organization's approach to developing an initial science and
facility plan for NCAR, based on the Center's ongoing commitments and
using the 2006 NCAR Strategic Plan
(www.ncar.ucar.edu/stratplan/2006/index.html) as a starting point;
* A summary of the organizationís overall financial management approach
including, but not limited to: integrating budget formulation and
execution with strategic and operating plans, risk assessment, and
cost management to ensure appropriate support of NCARís mission and
goals;
* The development and use of metrics and other output and performance
measures for assessing and improving the performance of the Center and
demonstrating to NCAR's stakeholders the Center's effectiveness in
meeting its core mission.
Section 2: Evidence of Capability should provide evidence of the capability
of the proposing organization to manage a federal scientific center of the
size and complexity of NCAR, including a discussion of the organization's
business and internal control systems. Any partner organizations should be
listed and their respective roles and contributions identified.
Although no budgetary information will be required at the preliminary
proposal stage, proposers must complete the required budget form in
FastLane by inserting $1 per year as a place-holder. FastLane will
automatically provide a cumulative budget.
Other FastLane forms (e.g., References, Current and Pending Support,
Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources) should NOT be submitted.
Supplementary documents or additional information will not be accepted.
Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: Proposers may opt to submit
proposals in response to this Program Solicitation via Grants.gov or via
the NSF FastLane system.
* Full proposals submitted via FastLane: Proposals submitted in response
to this program solicitation should be prepared and submitted in
accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Grant
Proposal Guide (GPG). The complete text of the GPG is available
electronically on the NSF website at:
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg. Paper copies
of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse,
telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov. Proposers are
reminded to identify this program solicitation number in the program
solicitation block on the NSF Cover Sheet For Proposal to the National
Science Foundation. Compliance with this requirement is critical to
determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to
submit this information may delay processing.
* Full proposals submitted via Grants.gov: Proposals submitted in
response to this program solicitation via Grants.gov should be
prepared and submitted in accordance with the NSF Grants.gov
Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF
Applications via Grants.gov. The complete text of the NSF Grants.gov
Application Guide is available on the Grants.gov website and on the
NSF website at:
(http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/docs/grantsgovguide.pdf). To
obtain copies of the Application Guide and Application Forms Package,
click on the Apply tab on the Grants.gov site, then click on the Apply
Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package and Application
Instructions link and enter the funding opportunity number, (the
program solicitation number without the NSF prefix) and press the
Download Package button. Paper copies of the Grants.gov Application
Guide also may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse,
telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.
Only those organizations that have submitted a preliminary proposal and
subsequently been invited to submit a full proposal may do so. Proposals
from other organizations will be returned without review.
The Full Proposal shall conform to the guidelines specified in the NSF
Proposal Guide (GPG) or the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide, except where
detailed below.
Proposers are reminded to review procedures under "Proprietary or
Privileged Information" in Chapter 1, Section 3 of the GPG and to mark only
such information, including patentable ideas, trade secrets, privileged or
confidential commercial or financial information, disclosure of which might
harm the proposer, with the appropriate legend such as, "The following is
(proprietary or confidential) information that (name of proposing
organization) requests not be released to persons outside the Government,
except for purposes of review and evaluation." Please also see the section
entitled "Privacy Act and Public Burden Statements" below.
The following information is required for the Full Proposal:
PI/Co-I Information - This should follow the standard GPG or NSF Grants.gov
Application Guide guidelines.
Cover Sheet - A cover sheet must be submitted and electronically signed by
an Authorized Organizational Representative for all full proposals.
Budget - See the instructions in Section B, below.
Project Summary - This should provide a summary of the key points of the
proposal and should be understandable to a scientifically or technically
literate lay reader. This should follow the standard GPG or NSF Grants.gov
Application Guide guidelines.
Biographical Sketches - Resumes should be provided for each Director,
Co-Director and each named senior participant (limit of 2 pages per
person). The GPG guidelines on order and format do not apply for this
section of the proposal.
The Project Description section of the Full Proposal should contain the
information specified below, in the order listed, and be limited to no more
than 100 pages. Where noted below, necessary resource material may be
marked separately as an Appendix to the proposal. Such material is not
subject to, or included in, the 100-page limit.
1. Overall Management Concept
Discuss the organization’s proposed approach to the
management of NCAR’s complex science facilities. Describe
the role of the managing organization and include a detailed plan
for each of the following:
* Employing effective mechanisms for engaging NCAR's primary
stakeholders at all levels to ensure that the Center's
facilities, services and programs best reflect the evolving
needs and priorities of the atmospheric and related science
community;
* Recognizing, estimating, and prioritizing future
requirements for the services and facilities needed to
support the US atmospheric and geosciences community;
* Developing an annual science and facilities plan for NSF
review that will present the research objectives and
priorities for NCAR;
* Implementing strategic partnerships with US universities,
federal, non-federal and international entities that will
enhance the overall scientific and support capabilities
available to the entire community;
* Achieving buy-in of the Center's vision and goals from
stakeholders and employees.
2. Organization and Operations
The proposed approach must include a detailed description of each
of the following:
* Organizational structure for the Center, including its
remote facilities. Describe roles, lines of authority,
communications and accountability. Describe the oversight
of each facility and significant program area. Include a
clear discussion of how the planned organization will best
serve the diverse needs of the science to be performed by
NCAR.
* Structure of the managing organization. Identify the parent
organization, if any, and the level of commitment by the
parent organization to NCAR support. Identify any major
subawardees, clearly noted as such, along with their purpose
and responsibilities;
* Plan for implementing and monitoring the business systems
and internal controls for financial management, property
standards, procurement standards, reporting and records
management, compliance with relevant environmental
regulations, risk management, and health and safety;
* Processes for planning, review and performance management
within a structured framework, including the development and
use of an appropriate suite of metrics that will aid both
the managing organization and NCAR's stakeholders in
assessing the performance of the Center and identifying
areas for improvement;
* Providing the space and equipment necessary for effective
performance (in coordination with NSF);
* Providing strategic logistics support for short and
long-term science initiatives;
* Operating and maintaining advanced observational facilities,
including federal aircraft, in support of NSF-funded science
in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations;
* Providing advanced cyberinfrastructure in support of the
scientific community.
A phase-in plan must also be provided, for the four month
transition period, 1 June 2008 – 30 September 2008. This
must include:
* A schedule;
* Estimated resource needs for the phase-in period;
* Plans for recruitment, orientation and training;
* A plan to acquire office infrastructure and manage the
transfer of inventory, plans and documents.
3. Human Resources, Workforce and Diversity
Describe the proposed techniques for recruiting and developing an
expert scientific, engineering and administrative staff,
consistent with the NSF strategic goal of cultivating a
world-class, broadly inclusive science and engineering workforce.
Include details of the following:
* Personnel qualifications, to include expertise in the
multiple sciences and professions required to support a
successful NCAR strategic plan;
* The organization’s minimum qualifications for all
managerial and supervisory positions should be provided in
an Appendix;
* Key personnel. Resumes for each Director, Co-Director and
each named senior participant should be provided in the
‘Biographical Sketches' section of the proposal (see
above). Resumes for other personnel who will occupy key
positions and be specified in the awarded agreement may be
provided in an Appendix. The submission of resumes for
additional qualified personnel is encouraged. A signed
letter of commitment for a minimum of twelve months should
be provided by each named personnel and attached in an
appendix;
* Strategy for the recruitment of staff from underrepresented
groups, including people with disabilities, and the
promotion of diversity among the workforce, students and
researchers;
* Policies and practices to be employed in recruiting,
developing and evolving an expert scientific, technical and
administrative staff with the skill set appropriate for a
leading national scientific center;
* The approaches to be taken (for example the relative
proportions of permanent and temporary positions, use of
visiting scientist posts and student placements) to ensure
that NCAR supports a sufficiently stable, expert workforce,
while encouraging vigor and innovation through its personnel
policies.
4. Initial Science and Facility Plan
Discuss the organization’s understanding of the
relationship between the NSF and NCAR strategic plans.
Provide an initial five-year Science and Facility Plan for NCAR,
showing how the managing organization would develop and execute a
program of services, facilities and research that would support
and enhance the atmospheric and related scientific community
(particularly the university sector). Use the 2006 NCAR Strategic
Plan (http://www.ncar.ucar.edu/stratplan/2006/stratplan06.pdf) as
a starting point. Include sufficient detail for reviewers to
judge how work will be accomplished and identify the resources to
be used. Show the relationship between the Science and Facility
Plan and the planned organizational structure detailed in Section
2. Describe how a new NCAR Strategic Plan will be created during
the award and how the NCAR Science and Facility Plan will be
reviewed and developed in response to ongoing community input and
emerging needs. Describe the measures (including metrics) that
would be employed to ensure that the NCAR Strategic Plan and the
Science and Facility Plan continue to best meet the needs of
NCAR's primary stakeholders. The Science and Facility Plan must
include details of how the Center's ongoing core programs and
existing commitments would be sustained and supported during the
initial period of the agreement. Describe the integration of
projects within NCAR and the cross-disciplinary mix needed to
achieve the goals articulated in the Science and Facility plan,
and discuss how any significant barriers would be overcome.
Provide a plan for Education and Outreach that is closely
integrated with the programs and activities described in the
Science and Facility Plan. This should include details of
involvement in regional programs, promotion of diversity among
the workforce, students and researchers, and the type of
opportunities and/or information that will be made available to
help ensure equitable access among the scientific research
community.
5. Other Supporting Material/Ideas
The organization may provide additional material that it believes
will be of assistance in evaluating the proposal but that does
not fit into any of the defined sections above.
The following sections are not required for the full proposal:
* Current and Pending Support
* Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources (all relevant
information must be provided in the Project Description and
Appendices).
Note that when the proposal is submitted, FastLane or Grants.gov
will perform a check for all of the standard sections of a
proposal. Proposers will receive warning messages that the
Current and Pending Support and Facilities, Equipment and Other
Resources sections have not been completed or uploaded.
Proposers should disregard these messages, since this
solicitation does not require submission of those two sections of
the full proposal.
B. Budgetary Information
Cost Sharing: Cost sharing is not required by NSF in proposals submitted
to the National Science Foundation.
Other Budgetary Limitations:
Proposing organizations may include a fixed annual management fee in their
proposed budget. The management fee must be clearly identified as such.
Budget Preparation Instructions:
The invited full proposal will include a budget for each of the five years
proposed. FastLane and Grants.gov will automatically provide a cumulative
budget.
Provide all staffing and budgeting information needed to describe how the
organization will fulfill the expectations in Section II of this
solicitation. Requested budget amounts for each year of the proposal
should reflect the level considered necessary to perform the activities
described in the proposal. Proposers should also be cognizant of budget
constraints implied by the funding levels provided for FY2006 under the
current cooperative agreement, as discussed under section II.B.
Enter the anticipated total level of subcontract support on line G5,
Subawards, of the FastLane budget or line F5 of the R&R Budget Form in
Grants.gov. Full proposals require the inclusion of separate budgets for
subcontracts that exceed $250,000 per year. For subcontracts that would be
less than $250,000 year, include the costs in the aggregate on the subaward
line in the budget.
Proposers other than the current awardee must also provide a detailed
budget for the four-month phase-in period preceding the new award. This
information must be provided in an Appendix labeled Phase-In Budget. The
budget must be presented in the same style with all applicable budget line
items as for the budget for each year of the proposal. If a new awardee is
selected to manage and operate NCAR, the incumbent will cooperate with the
successor to the extent necessary to facilitate uninterrupted support for
NCAR during the phase-in period and will provide transfer of legal rights
to relevant property and equipment. NSF will support appropriate phase-in
costs by a successor awardee if different from the current awardee.
In an Appendix labeled Financial Capability, proposing organizations must
provide the following in support of the organizationís financial condition
and capability:
* A detailed structure and plan for implementing and monitoring business
systems and internal controls for financial management and accounting
system, property standards, equipment standards, procurement
standards, reporting and records.
* Total compensation plan setting forth proposed salaries and fringe
benefits for professional employees, with supporting information such
as recognized national and regional compensation surveys, and studies
of professional, public and private organizations used in establishing
the total compensation structure.
* If available, the organizationís annual audited financial statements
(e.g. Balance Sheet, Profit and loss Statement and Annual Reports) for
the three most recent fiscal years and/or other documentation to
clearly explain its current financial strength and resource
capability.
* A current indirect cost rate proposal and supporting financial data.
If the organizationís indirect cost rates have been approved by
another Federal agency, provide copies of such agreements. NSF does
not participate in or contribute to the cost of IR&D and such costs
shall bear a proportionate share of overhead and G&A costs; therefore,
IR&D costs should be excluded from indirect expense pools and included
in the appropriate distribution bases. If the organization has no
IR&D costs, a statement to that effect should be included with the
indirect cost rate proposal;
* A current CASB Disclosure Statement, if applicable.
Organizations that have not previously received NSF awards should review
the NSF Prospective New Awardee Guide at
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2005/nsf0529/guide05_29.pdf for additional guidance
in preparing their budget submission.
C. Due Dates
* Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required):
April 13, 2007
* Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
August 31, 2007
By Invitation Only
D. FastLane/Grants.gov Requirements
* For Proposals Submitted Via FastLane:
Detailed technical instructions regarding the technical aspects of
preparation and submission via FastLane are available at:
https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm. For FastLane user
support, call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail
fastlane@nsf.gov. The FastLane Help Desk answers general technical
questions related to the use of the FastLane system. Specific
questions related to this program solicitation should be referred to
the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this
funding opportunity.
Submission of Electronically Signed Cover Sheets. The Authorized
Organizational Representative (AOR) must electronically sign the
proposal Cover Sheet to submit the required proposal certifications
(see Chapter II, Section C of the Grant Proposal Guide for a listing
of the certifications). The AOR must provide the required electronic
certifications within five working days following the electronic
submission of the proposal. Further instructions regarding this
process are available on the FastLane Website at:
https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/fastlane.jsp.
* For Proposals Submitted Via Grants.gov:
Before using Grants.gov for the first time, each organization must
register to create an institutional profile. Once registered, the
applicant's organization can then apply for any federal grant on the
Grants.gov website. The Grants.gov's Grant Community User Guide is a
comprehensive reference document that provides technical information
about Grants.gov. Proposers can download the User Guide as a Microsoft
Word document or as a PDF document. The Grants.gov User Guide is
available at: http://www.grants.gov/CustomerSupport. In addition, the
NSF Grants.gov Application Guide provides additional technical
guidance regarding preparation of proposals via Grants.gov. For
Grants.gov user support, contact the Grants.gov Contact Center at
1-800-518-4726 or by email: support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Contact
Center answers general technical questions related to the use of
Grants.gov. Specific questions related to this program solicitation
should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in
Section VIII of this solicitation.
Submitting the Proposal: Once all documents have been completed, the
Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must submit the
application to Grants.gov and verify the desired funding opportunity
and agency to which the application is submitted. The AOR must then
sign and submit the application to Grants.gov. The completed
application will be transferred to the NSF FastLane system for further
processing.
VI. NSF PROPOSAL PROCESSING AND REVIEW PROCEDURES
Proposals received by NSF are assigned to the appropriate NSF program and,
if they meet NSF proposal preparation requirements, for review. All
proposals are carefully reviewed by a scientist, engineer, or educator
serving as an NSF Program Officer, and usually by three to ten other
persons outside NSF who are experts in the particular fields represented by
the proposal. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with
the oversight of the review process. Proposers are invited to suggest names
of persons they believe are especially well qualified to review the
proposal and/or persons they would prefer not review the proposal. These
suggestions may serve as one source in the reviewer selection process at
the Program Officer's discretion. Submission of such names, however, is
optional. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts with the
proposer.
A. NSF Merit Review Criteria
All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two National Science
Board (NSB)-approved merit review criteria: intellectual merit and the
broader impacts of the proposed effort. In some instances, however, NSF
will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific
objectives of certain programs and activities.
The two NSB-approved merit review criteria are listed below. The criteria
include considerations that help define them. These considerations are
suggestions and not all will apply to any given proposal. While proposers
must address both merit review criteria, reviewers will be asked to address
only those considerations that are relevant to the proposal being
considered and for which the reviewer is qualified to make judgements.
What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?
How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and
understanding within its own field or across different fields?
How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to
conduct the project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will comment
on the quality of the prior work.) To what extent does the
proposed activity suggest and explore creative and original
concepts? How well conceived and organized is the proposed
activity? Is there sufficient access to resources?
What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?
How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding
while promoting teaching, training, and learning? How well does
the proposed activity broaden the participation of
underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability,
geographic, etc.)? To what extent will it enhance the
infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities,
instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? Will the results be
disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological
understanding? What may be the benefits of the proposed activity
to society?
NSF staff will give careful consideration to the following in making
funding decisions:
Integration of Research and Education
One of the principal strategies in support of NSF's goals is to
foster integration of research and education through the
programs, projects, and activities it supports at academic and
research institutions. These institutions provide abundant
opportunities where individuals may concurrently assume
responsibilities as researchers, educators, and students and
where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse education with
the excitement of discovery and enrich research through the
diversity of learning perspectives.
Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Activities
Broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all
citizens -- women and men, underrepresented minorities, and
persons with disabilities -- is essential to the health and
vitality of science and engineering. NSF is committed to this
principle of diversity and deems it central to the programs,
projects, and activities it considers and supports.
Additional Review Considerations:
For Preliminary and Invited full proposals, reviewers will be asked to
identify and analyze the following:
* Strengths and weaknesses of the proposed approach;
* Opportunities and potential benefits that the proposed approach
presents for the Center;
* Risks to the future success of NCAR in the proposerís approach
which are not satisfactorily addressed.
Preliminary Proposal
The preliminary proposal, presenting the proposing organizationís
five-year vision and concept for NCAR, will be assessed against the
NSB-approved merit review criteria of Intellectual Merit and Broader
Impacts, both in an absolute sense and relative to other proposals
received.
Full Proposal
1. Overall Management Concept - reviewers will consider the NSB
Approved Merit Review Criteria of Intellectual Merit and Broader
Impacts, the extent of the proposing organizationís understanding
of NCARís role and mission, and viability of the management
strategy to develop NCARís position as a world leader; the role
of the managing organization in relation to NCAR, NSF and the
Center's stakeholders; the relevance of proposed methodologies to
reinforce NCARís mission with primary stakeholders; the scope and
quality of the plan to engage the atmospheric and wider
geosciences community, including the highest levels of university
management, government agencies and relevant industries, with
clear lines of communication, understanding of community needs
and issues, and the means to engage the community in planning,
research, education and development of relevant technology. The
methodology for identifying and estimating future requirements
will be assessed for applicability, awareness of the potential
direction the sciences may take, and responsiveness to stated
community needs.
The weighting for Section 1 is 35%.
2. Organization and Operations - reviewers will consider the NSB
Approved Merit Review Criteria of Intellectual Merit and Broader
Impacts, the feasibility, relevance to the academic research
environment, and potential for success, including resource
integration, provision of space and equipment, logistics support
for scientific initiatives, aircraft operations and maintenance,
information technology, and security of systems and facilities.
The proposed methodology for developing metrics along with
policies for analysis, review and implementation of constructive
change where indicated will be evaluated for sufficiency and
potential for achieving effective results.
The Phase-In Plan will be evaluated to assess the proposing
organizationís ability to assume full responsibility for the
management and operation of NCAR upon completion of the phase-in
period without degradation of high quality services, research
efforts and facilities.
The weighting for Section 2 is 35%.
3. Human Resources and Diversity Program - reviewers will consider
the NSB Approved Merit Review Criteria of Intellectual Merit and
Broader Impacts, the adequacy of the organizationís named
personnel and proposed labor categories, techniques for
recruiting, promoting diversity, and methods of invigorating the
workforce and infusing new ideas and approaches in Center
programs and administration.
The weighting for Section 3 is 15%.
4. Initial Science and Facility Plan - reviewers will consider the
NSB Approved Merit Review Criteria of Intellectual Merit and
Broader Impacts, the scope, feasibility and innovation of the
planned activities, ability to respond to and prioritize
evolving scientific and engineering needs and opportunities in
the community, the extent to which the plan targets critical
goals relevant to the NCAR strategic plan, identifies challenging
scientific and technical questions or barriers to be overcome,
proposes high quality research projects to address the stated
goals, identifies performance measures for the planning and
delivery process, and reflects appropriate and effective use of
resources where possible.
The weighting for Section 4 is 15%.
5. Other Supporting Materials/Ideas, if provided and containing
additional information not available in any of the sections
above, may be used by the reviewers to help form an impression of
the proposal overall, but will not be individually weighted or
scored.
Budget and Financial Review
In addition, NSF will assess the organizationís budgetary and
financial information as requested under Section V.B of this
solicitation but this will not be individually weighted or
scored. The organization will be assessed for the adequacy of its
internal accounting and operational controls (including human
resources, property control and procurement systems), potential
for attracting qualified employees, and the adequacy of its
financial resources for managing a federal research and
development center. The proposed fee (if any) and proposed
direct and indirect rates will be evaluated for reasonableness
and potential impact on funding available for science and related
activities. The impact of rates and any proposed fee will be
evaluated relative to other organizationsí proposed rates and
fees.
The business evaluation will be used to help inform the Program
Officerís recommendation for award.
B. Review and Selection Process
Preliminary proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation
will be subjected to panel review. Only submitters of favorably reviewed
preliminary proposals will be invited and eligible to submit full
proposals. All proposers who are not invited to submit a full proposal will
receive an official NSF declination notice and an explanation of the
agencyís decision from the Program to which they applied.
Full proposals will be subjected to panel review. A summary rating and
accompanying narrative will be completed and submitted by each reviewer. To
further clarify the panelís understanding of proposal(s), the evaluation
may include one or more site visits. NSF staff's evaluation of the
financial and business systems will be used to help inform the Program
Officer's review. After consideration of the scientific, technical and
business reviews, the NSF Program Officer will determine whether a proposal
should be recommended to the cognizant Division Director for award. Upon
approval by the Directorate, the NSF program recommendation will be
submitted to the Directorís Review Board and, subsequently, the National
Science Board for review and approval.
All proposers who are not recommended for award will receive an official
NSF declination notice and an explanation of the agencyís decision from the
Program to which they applied. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the
names of reviewers, will be sent to the Principal Investigator/Project
Director by the Program Officer.
Proposers are cautioned that only a Contracting/Agreements Officer may make
commitments, obligations or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize the
expenditure of funds. No commitment on the part of NSF should be inferred
from technical or budgetary discussions with a NSF Program Officer. A
Principal Investigator or organization that makes financial or personnel
commitments in the absence of a grant or cooperative agreement signed by
the NSF Contracting/Agreements Officer does so at their own risk.
VII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
A. Notification of the Award
Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by a
Contracting/Agreements Officer in the Division of Acquisition and
Cooperative Support. Organizations whose proposals are declined will be
advised as promptly as possible by the cognizant NSF Program administering
the program. Verbatim copies of reviews, not including the identity of the
reviewer, will be provided automatically to the Principal Investigator.
(See Section VI.B. for additional information on the review process.)
B. Award Conditions
An NSF award consists of: (1) the award letter, which includes any special
provisions applicable to the award and any numbered amendments thereto; (2)
the budget, which indicates the amounts, by categories of expense, on which
NSF has based its support (or otherwise communicates any specific approvals
or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3) the proposal referenced in
the award letter; (4) the applicable award conditions, such as Grant
General Conditions (GC-1); * or Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP)
Terms and Conditions * and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance that
may be incorporated by reference in the award letter. Cooperative
agreements also are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative
Agreement Financial and Administrative Terms and Conditions (CA-FATC) and
the applicable Programmatic Terms and Conditions. NSF awards are
electronically signed by an NSF Contracting/Agreements Officer and
transmitted electronically to the organization via e-mail.
*These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at
http://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/general_conditions.jsp?org=NSF. Paper
copies may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone
(703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.
More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions and other important
information on the administration of NSF awards is contained in the NSF
Grant Policy Manual (GPM) Chapter II, available electronically on the NSF
Website at http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpm.
Special Award Conditions: The award associated with this solicitation will
be a Cooperative Agreement, not a standard grant or a contract. Individual
cooperative support agreements will be issued under the terms and
conditions of the overall agreement. Any special requirements not stated
herein will be negotiated at time of award.
Programmatic Terms and Conditions: Cooperative Agreement Administration
The Cooperative Agreement awarded as a result of this competition will be
administered by the ATM UCAR and Lower Atmosphere Facilities Oversight
Section. The following measures will be employed in providing oversight for
the cooperative agreement:
* review of annual reports, program plans and performance metrics;
* reviews of science activities and management performance approximately
2.5 years after the award is made
* site visits annually, or as necessary;
* for each cooperative support agreement issued to the awardee, review
of annual reports, project plan and final report;
* The awardee will be required to submit to a Total Business Systems
Review at least once during the award and at least once during any
subsequent renewals.
Financial and Administrative Terms and Conditions: Costs to be reimbursed
in accordance with 2 CFR 220 -- Cost Principles for Educational
Institutions, 2 CFR 230 -- Cost Principles for Nonprofit Organizations, or
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 31, as applicable.
Standard cooperative agreement terms and conditions, including supplements
for managers of FFRDCs and Large Facilities, are available at
http://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/co-op_conditions.jsp?org=NSF.
Program-specific terms and conditions will be negotiated at time of award.
C. Reporting Requirements
For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants),
the Principal Investigator must submit an annual project report to the
cognizant Program Officer at least 90 days before the end of the current
budget period. (Some programs or awards require more frequent project
reports). Within 90 days after expiration of a grant, the PI also is
required to submit a final project report.
Failure to provide the required annual or final project reports will delay
NSF review and processing of any future funding increments as well as any
pending proposals for that PI. PIs should examine the formats of the
required reports in advance to assure availability of required data.
PIs are required to use NSF's electronic project-reporting system,
available through FastLane, for preparation and submission of annual and
final project reports. Such reports provide information on activities and
findings, project participants (individual and organizational)
publications; and, other specific products and contributions. PIs will not
be required to re-enter information previously provided, either with a
proposal or in earlier updates using the electronic system. Submission of
the report via FastLane constitutes certification by the PI that the
contents of the report are accurate and complete.
Awardee Data Requirements
The awardee must keep records of all proposals involving the use of NCAR
staff, facilities or other resources, and of any subsequent awards, and
these records must be made available to NSF on request. Other data
requirements may be specified prior to and during the award, as necessary.
VIII. AGENCY CONTACTS
General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:
* Kristin Spencer, Contract and Agreements Specialist, telephone: (703)
292-4585, fax: (703) 292-9140, email: kspencer@nsf.gov
For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact:
* FastLane Help Desk, telephone: 1-800-673-6188; e-mail:
fastlane@nsf.gov.
For questions relating to Grants.gov contact:
* Grants.gov Contact Center: If the Authorized Organizational
Representatives (AOR) has not received a confirmation message from
Grants.gov within 48 hours of submission of application, please
contact via telephone: 1-800-518-4726; e-mail: support@grants.gov.
IX. OTHER INFORMATION
The NSF Website provides the most comprehensive source of information on
NSF Directorates (including contact information), programs and funding
opportunities. Use of this Website by potential proposers is strongly
encouraged. Modifications, if any, to this solicitation, as well as other
related program information as it becomes available, will be posted to the
NSF website. In addition, MyNSF (formerly the Custom News Service)is an
information-delivery system designed to keep potential proposers and other
interested parties apprised of new NSF funding opportunities and
publications, important changes in proposal and award policies and
procedures, and upcoming NSF Regional Grants Conferences. Subscribers are
informed through e-mail or the user's Web browser each time new
publications are issued that match their identified interests. MyNSF also
is available on NSF's Website at http://www.nsf.gov/mynsf/.
Grants.gov provides an additional electronic capability to search for
Federal government-wide grant opportunities. NSF funding opportunities may
be accessed via this new mechanism. Further information on Grants.gov may
be obtained at http://www.grants.gov.
Sources of additional information:
National Science Foundation, Atmospheric Sciences:
http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=ATM
National Science Foundation, Geosciences:
http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=GEO
National Center for Atmospheric Research:
http://www.ncar.ucar.edu/
NCAR Strategic Plan:
http://www.ncar.ucar.edu/stratplan/2006/index.html
NCAR Annual Report:
http://www.nar.ucar.edu/2006/
ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent Federal agency
created by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended (42 USC
1861-75). The Act states the purpose of the NSF is "to promote the progress
of science; [and] to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare
by supporting research and education in all fields of science and
engineering."
NSF funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering.
It does this through grants and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000
colleges, universities, K-12 school systems, businesses, informal science
organizations and other research organizations throughout the US. The
Foundation accounts for about one-fourth of Federal support to academic
institutions for basic research.
NSF receives approximately 40,000 proposals each year for research,
education and training projects, of which approximately 11,000 are funded.
In addition, the Foundation receives several thousand applications for
graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. The agency operates no laboratories
itself but does support National Research Centers, user facilities, certain
oceanographic vessels and Antarctic research stations. The Foundation also
supports cooperative research between universities and industry, US
participation in international scientific and engineering efforts, and
educational activities at every academic level.
Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities provide
funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with
disabilities to work on NSF-supported projects. See Grant Proposal Guide
Chapter II, Section D.2 for instructions regarding preparation of these
types of proposals.
The National Science Foundation has Telephonic Device for the Deaf (TDD)
and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that enable
individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the Foundation
about NSF programs, employment or general information. TDD may be accessed
at (703) 292-5090 and (800) 281-8749, FIRS at (800) 877-8339.
The National Science Foundation Information Center may be reached at (703)
292-5111.
The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific
progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants and
cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences,
mathematics, and engineering.
To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download
copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the
NSF Website at http://www.nsf.gov
* Location: 4201 Wilson Blvd. Arlington,
VA 22230
* For General Information (703) 292-5111
(NSF Information Center):
* TDD (for the hearing-impaired): (703) 292-5090
* To Order Publications or Forms:
Send an e-mail to: pubs@nsf.gov
or telephone: (703) 292-7827
* To Locate NSF Employees: (703) 292-5111
PRIVACY ACT AND PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENTS
The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is
solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of
1950, as amended. The information on proposal forms will be used in
connection with the selection of qualified proposals; and project reports
submitted by awardees will be used for program evaluation and reporting
within the Executive Branch and to Congress. The information requested may
be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part of the
proposal review process; to proposer institutions/grantees to provide or
obtain data regarding the proposal review process, award decisions, or the
administration of awards; to government contractors, experts, volunteers
and researchers and educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to
other government agencies or other entities needing information regarding
applicants or nominees as part of a joint application review process, or in
order to coordinate programs or policy; and to another Federal agency,
court, or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the
government is a party. Information about Principal Investigators may be
added to the Reviewer file and used to select potential candidates to serve
as peer reviewers or advisory committee members. See Systems of Records,
NSF-50, "Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," 69
Federal Register 26410 (May 12, 2004), and NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposal File
and Associated Records, " 69 Federal Register 26410 (May 12, 2004).
Submission of the information is voluntary. Failure to provide full and
complete information, however, may reduce the possibility of receiving an
award.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, an information collection unless it displays a valid Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OMB control number for this
collection is 3145-0058. Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 120 hours per response, including the
time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding the burden
estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing this burden, to:
Suzanne H. Plimpton
Reports Clearance Officer
Division of Administrative Services
National Science Foundation
Arlington, VA 22230
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Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 11/07/06
22230, USA Text Only
Tel: (703) 292-5111, FIRS: (800) 877-8339 |
TDD: (800) 281-8749
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